Topic: Hormonal coordination

General Objectives:

understand and appreciate the function of hormones in body co-ordination.

Specific Objectives:

• define a hormone as a chemical substance, produced by a gland, carried by the blood, which alters
the activity of one or more specific target organs
• distinguish between exocrine and endocrine gland
• identify and label on diagram the endocrine glands of the human body
• name the hormones produced by the glands in the body
• discuss the functions of insulin, glucagon, adrenaline, oestrogen, and testosterone hormones.
• compare the nervous and endocrine systems
• explain the concept of negative feedback.

General objective:

acquire knowledge of the role of hormones in tropic responses of plants

Specific Objectives:

• define geotropism as the growth response of a plant to gravity

• define phototropism as the growth response of a plant to light.
• describe geotropism and phototropism in terms of auxin regulating growth.
• investigate the effect of removing the apical bud from plant seedlings.
• describe the control of plant growth by auxins

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Questions on Coordination:

Question 1:

(a) State the term which is used to describe the maintenance of a constant internal environment in
the human body. [1]

• homeostasis

(b) Describe how each of the following processes helps to maintain the temperature of the body:

(i) sweating; [2]

• evaporation of sweat / water

• removes heat from the body / cools the body / reference to latent heat of
• vaporisation

(ii) vasodilation. [3]

• arterioles in skin relax

• increased blood flow through surface capillaries
• more heat loss from body by convection / radiation

Question 2:

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 Fig. 1 shows the urinary system and its blood supply.

(a) (i) Identify the structures labelled X and Y on Fig. 1.

X ..............................................

Y .............................................. [2]

• X – renal vein
• Y – urethra

(ii) A function of the kidney is to remove urea from the blood. State one other function of the
kidney. [1]

• remove water / salts (from blood) or

• osmoregulation or
• control of water / salt content (of the blood)

(b) The liver forms urea by breaking down excess amino acids. Name two other substances which
are broken down by the liver.

i. ..............................................
ii. ..............................................

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any two from these
• alcohol
• drugs / named drug
• haemoglobin
• hormones / named hormone
• toxins

(c) The liver and kidneys are organs which help to maintain a constant internal environment. Which
term describes this process? [1]

• homeostasis

Question 3:

(a) A student reaching for a book on a bookshelf pricks his finger on the sharp point of a nail. He
pulls his hand away very quickly.

(i) State the type of response which has occurred. [1]

• reflex response / action / involuntary / automatic

(ii) What is the effector in this response? [1]

• arm muscles / named arm muscle / muscle (unqualified)

(iii) Name the type of nerve cell which links the central nervous system to the effector. [1]

• motor (neurone)

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(b) Fig. 2 shows part of the leg of a crab.

Fig. 2

(i) State what happens to muscles, A and B, in order for the claw to move in the direction of the
arrow.

Muscle A ...........................................................................................................

Muscle B ....................................................................................................... [1]

• A – contracts B – relaxes – expands / stretches

(ii) Why do muscles in the leg occur in pairs? [1]

• to pull the leg / part of leg in opposite / different directions

(iii) Suggest why the fibres which join the muscle to the skeleton are non-elastic. [1]

• to pass / transmit all of muscle pull to skeleton / not to lose some pull in stretching
the fibres
Question 4:
Describe the function of the following hormones:
i. insulin, [3]
Produced by the pancreas, insulin is essential for regulating blood sugar levels. It acts like a
key, unlocking cells throughout the body to allow them to absorb glucose (sugar) from the
bloodstream. This glucose is then used for energy. Insulin also promotes the storage of excess
glucose as glycogen in the liver and muscles, acting like a reserve for later use

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 ii. glucagon, [3]
Also produced by the pancreas, glucagon works in opposition to insulin. When blood sugar
levels fall too low, glucagon triggers the liver to release stored glucose back into the
bloodstream, bringing blood sugar levels back up to normal. This hormonal balance is vital
for maintaining energy homeostasis

iii. adrenaline, [3]

Adrenaline (epinephrine): Often referred to as the "fight-or-flight" hormone, adrenaline is
produced by the adrenal glands. It's released in response to stress or danger, triggering a
cascade of physiological changes to prepare the body for action. Adrenaline increases heart
rate, breathing rate, and blood sugar levels to deliver more oxygen and energy to the muscles.
It also diverts blood flow away from non-essential functions like digestion to prioritize the
immediate threat

iv. oestrogen, [3]

This is a group of sex hormones primarily produced in the ovaries in females, but also in
small amounts in other tissues. Estrogen plays a critical role in female sexual development
and function. It stimulates the development of secondary sex characteristics like breasts and
regulates the menstrual cycle. Estrogen also has important effects on bone health,
cardiovascular function, and even mood regulation

v. testosterone [3]
Testosterone: The primary male sex hormone, testosterone is produced in the testes. It's
responsible for the development of male secondary sex characteristics such as facial hair and
a deeper voice. Testosterone also plays a key role in muscle growth and strength, sperm
production, and sex drive

Question 5:

Compare the nervous and endocrine systems. [6]

The nervous and endocrine systems are both vital communication networks within the body, but
they achieve this in very different ways:

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Communication method:

Nervous system: Uses electrical impulses and neurotransmitters to send rapid signals over short
distances between neurons (nerve cells). This allows for quick, targeted responses.

Endocrine system: Employs chemical messengers called hormones that travel through the
bloodstream to reach target cells throughout the body. This method is slower but has broader
effects.

Speed and duration of response:

Nervous system: Fast-acting (milliseconds to seconds) for immediate reactions like reflexes or
muscle movement. Effects are typically short-lived.

Endocrine system: Slower-acting (seconds to minutes or even longer) for regulating long-term
processes like growth, development, and metabolism. Effects can be sustained for longer
periods.

Specificity of target:

Nervous system: Highly specific. Neurons connect to specific target cells, ensuring a precise
response.

Endocrine system: Less specific. Hormones circulate throughout the body, affecting cells that
have receptors for them. This can lead to more widespread effects.

Examples of functions:

Nervous system: Controls voluntary and involuntary actions, senses the environment, relays
information to the brain for processing, coordinates muscle movement.

Endocrine system: Regulates metabolism, growth and development, reproduction, stress

response, mood, and blood sugar levels.

Interaction:

The two systems often work together. For example, the nervous system can stimulate the
endocrine system to release hormones in response to stress or another stimulus.

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Question 6:

How do hormones play a role in the tropic responses of plants? [4]

Plants use hormones to control their growth direction in response to environmental stimuli like
light and gravity. This directional growth is called a tropism. The main hormone involved in
most tropisms is auxin.

Unequal distribution of auxin: When a plant encounters a directional stimulus, auxin

accumulates on the shaded side (in phototropism) or the lower side (in gravitropism).

Cell elongation: Auxin promotes cell elongation. The higher auxin concentration on one side
stimulates those cells to elongate more than the cells on the opposite side.

Bending growth: This differential growth causes the plant to bend towards the light source
(positive phototropism) or downward (positive gravitropism).

Auxin:
Auxin, particularly indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), is the primary hormone responsible for
mediating phototropic and gravitropic responses in plants.
Auxin accumulates on the shaded or lower side of the plant organ, leading to differential growth
and bending towards the light or downward in response to gravity.
Auxin promotes cell elongation on the side of the plant organ with lower auxin concentration,
causing the organ to bend.
Ethylene:
Ethylene is involved in the thigmotropic response, where plants respond to touch or mechanical
stimulation.
Ethylene production increases in response to physical stimulation, leading to changes in growth
patterns and the bending of the plant organ away from the source of touch.
Abscisic acid (ABA):
ABA plays a role in the hydrotropic response, where plants grow towards water sources.

ABA can trigger root growth towards water by modulating root architecture and promoting the
expression of hydrotropic response genes.

Cytokinins:

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Cytokinins, in combination with auxin, can influence the direction of tropic responses.

Cytokinins may promote cell division and differentiation, which can contribute to the overall
growth and bending of the plant organ.